Woodhouse was the Chairman of the Royal Commission on Accident Compensation from 1966 to 1967, which produced the Woodhouse Report that recommended a “no-fault” accident compensation scheme. The scheme, known as ACC after its controlling entity, the Accident Compensation Commission (later Corporation), came into effect in April 1974.[3] He was commissioned in 1974 by the Australian Government, the result being the Report of the National Committee of Inquiry, "Compensation and Rehabilitation in Australia",[4] now known as the Australian Woodhouse Report.[5] In 1988, he prepared a third report, "Personal Injury: Prevention and Recovery",[6] which recommended an end to the disparities between the treatment of accident victims and those incapacitated by sickness or disease.[7]

Woodhouse died on 15 April 2014 at the age of 97. Parliament interrupted its proceedings to hold a moment's silence in his honour.[12]Prime MinisterJohn Key said that "Sir Owen Woodhouse was a man whose life exemplified public service and duty to his country...He leaves a genuinely important legacy."[13]Leader of the OppositionDavid Cunliffe described Woodhouse as a "great New Zealander", saying that "Sir Owen’s selfless contributions to public life have been immeasurable... New Zealanders owe a special debt of gratitude to Sir Owen for his ground-breaking work as chairman of the Royal Commission on Accident Compensation from 1966 to 1967."[14]Chief JusticeDame Sian Elias said that Woodhouse "was an outstanding jurist with a passion for social justice. He was a reformer and a great New Zealander."[15] The President of the New Zealand Law Society, Chris Moore, called him "one of [New Zealand's] greatest jurists".[16] Former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, for whom Woodhouse was a mentor and friend, stated that he "was a man of astonishing intelligence and wonderful humanity."[17]

In May 2014, ACC dedicated the "Sir Owen Woodhouse Atrium" at its Wellington national office in his memory.[18]